Without Hope, There Is Nothing

When Shenjie Qiu found The City Tutors’ City Mentors Program in 2022, he had already done so much of what people tell immigrant students to do: study hard, publish, earn credentials, keep going. Still, his future felt unstable.

He arrived in the United States in 2009 as a visiting student and eventually entered the CUNY Graduate Center PhD program, conducting research at the College of Staten Island. His life became defined by long days in the lab, demanding academic standards, and the pressure of trying to succeed in a language and culture that still felt unfamiliar. His mentor expected precision in everything: experiments, writing, presentations. Shenjie pushed himself to meet that standard while building a future from scratch.

During those years, instability followed him closely. His daughter was born while he was still trying to complete his PhD and navigate an immigration system that shaped nearly every professional decision he could make.

After defending his dissertation, Shenjie worked at Bristol Myers Squibb as a contract scientist. He conducted cutting-edge life sciences research, published high-impact papers, and received national recognition alongside his teammates. The experience gave him access to one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies while keeping him outside the security and long-term stability that come with full-time employment.

From the outside, those milestones suggested momentum and success. Inside, life felt far less certain. The awards affirmed his scientific ability, but they did not answer the larger questions pressing on him every day: how to support his family, remain in the United States, and build a stable future after years of sacrifice.

Career guidance remained distant from his daily life. Shenjie described sending resumes out "randomly," hoping one might lead somewhere. Even after years inside American higher education, he did not fully realize that universities offered mentorship networks, professional communities, and career pathways designed to help students transition into the workforce. Most of his time had been spent inside research environments.

Then COVID arrived.

Immigration complications and a rapidly changing job market left him increasingly uncertain about his future. Shenjie enrolled at Baruch College partly to strengthen his communication skills and partly to explore possibilities beyond laboratory research. He joined student clubs, earned strong grades, and attended professional events whenever he could. Yet he still felt disconnected from the industries and networks he hoped to enter.

In 2022, while browsing opportunities on Handshake, he came across The City Tutors' City Mentors Program and signed up.

One of the first mentors he connected with was Rick Ruvkun. Rick's own path from engineering into business and finance immediately resonated with Shenjie. At first, Shenjie simply hoped Rick could help improve his resume. Instead, Rick spent an entire day reviewing draft after draft with him, exchanging more than ten versions back and forth. The process became a lesson in professionalism itself. Rick explained that a resume reflects how a person approaches work: care, discipline, seriousness, and attention to detail.

For Shenjie, it was the first time a seasoned professional outside academia had invested so deeply in his future.

The experience stayed with him. Shenjie later invited Rick to speak to a student organization at Baruch College, turning his own mentorship experience into a resource for others. More than thirty students attended, and many followed up afterward seeking guidance of their own.

Other mentors followed.

Kal Achanta, who worked at ZS Associates, helped Shenjie understand consulting from the inside: how firms are structured, how people enter the field, and what a consulting career could look like for someone with a technical background. Shenjie had spent years in research environments that deepened his scientific expertise, yet provided limited visibility into other professional paths. Kal helped him see consulting as a viable option.

Deepa helped Shenjie think more strategically about where to look for opportunities. Like him, she held a chemistry PhD. She had worked in academia before moving into finance, giving Shenjie another example of how scientific training could open doors across industries. She introduced him to job-search resources and professional communities such as the New York Academy of Sciences.

What stayed with Shenjie was not only her advice but her generosity. Deepa was navigating her own job search while caring for two young children. He could hear a baby crying in the background as she continued offering guidance. Shenjie understood how much effort she was making to help someone she had only recently met.

Mackenzie McKenzie, an Evercore professional with a biology PhD who transitioned into finance, prepared pages of notes before every meeting: industry guidance, reading recommendations, exam preparation materials, and career advice tailored specifically to Shenjie's interests. She even taught him how to write a financial analysis report. With her encouragement, Shenjie passed the Securities Industry Essentials exam, opening new professional possibilities.

Across these experiences, Shenjie began to understand why City Mentors felt different from every other form of career support he had encountered. The mentors listened carefully, took his questions seriously, and invested their time in his development. They saw potential in him and helped him envision possibilities that had previously felt out of reach.

That attention transformed what City Mentors meant to him. It became a place where career guidance, community, and belonging came together.

Years of unstable employment and immigration uncertainty had left Shenjie feeling isolated. Through City Mentors, connection began to return.

The happy hours gave him a place to feel welcomed and celebrated. He met mentors and peers in a relaxed environment, heard other people's stories, and found conversations that extended beyond job searching. With one mentor, Jack, he discussed stock trading, financial planning, and practical approaches to managing money. Those conversations helped fill gaps that years of academic training had left untouched.

Company visits opened another kind of door. At PwC, Shenjie experienced the excitement of stepping inside a major company shortly after graduating. The visit expanded his understanding of the opportunities available to professionals from diverse academic backgrounds.

At AIG, the lesson became even more personal. Shenjie ran into a former Baruch classmate and met professionals whose careers had grown through relationships, preparation, and opportunity. The experience reshaped how he thought about networking. He began to see it as a way for people to recognize potential and help one another grow.

That day also pushed him to speak up. When participants were invited to share what they had learned, Shenjie stood in front of the room and summarized his takeaway. Only afterward did he realize he had forgotten to introduce himself by name. The moment stayed with him because it captured a period of growth. He was learning how to participate confidently in professional spaces.

Today, Shenjie describes the difference simply:

"I feel more confident," he said. "I can speak up."

When asked what The City Tutors meant to him during some of the most uncertain years of his life, Shenjie paused before answering.

"Hope," he said. "Without hope, there is nothing."